No Way (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 14

Antonio

She just ran out like there was something terribly wrong. For all I know, maybe there was something wrong. Shauna and Sam exchange looks, but silently decide not to go after her. My eyes drift over to Cori, who is sitting at the table, coloring.

Her mouth's drawn into a tight line as she concentrates. There's something in her icy blue eyes that look distant and lost. A look that makes her look so much like Ella, it's scary. Her black curls are free and tumbling all over the place, not that she notices.

"You know, I think there's something wrong with Ella." Caine whispers to me. I give him a quick scolding look but then return to watching Cori. She doesn't look up. Not even when she grabs a new crayon. She just keeps her head ducked low, shifting her eyes.

"Of course there's something wrong. Her older sister is in a coma, her mom is dead, her little sister is in a fragile state, and her father is in jail." I hiss in a low voice. Her head suddenly pulls up, her blue eyes landing on me.

"Antonio." She says my name so softly I barely hear her. I crouch next to her chair and smile at her.

"Yes, Cori?" I reply. Her whole body is trembling and her lower lip quivers. It's then I realize her eyes are glassy with tears and her delicate face is twisted in pain. "What's wrong?"

"It hurts. I want Ella." She whispers, clutching her stomach where I know she has a stab wound. I jerk my head up, looking for someone to aide me, but everyone is hard at work with dinner or talking to someone else. She lets out a whimper and I stroke her hair, muttering consoling words.

"Come on. I'll take you to Ella." I sigh. I lift her from her chair and speed walk to the bathroom Ella disappeared into hours earlier. I knock on it, hard, hoping she'll answer.

"Go away who ever it is! There's other bathrooms." She calls, her voice thick and muffled as if she's crying. I highly doubt it but you never know.

"Ella! It's Cori! She's in pain!" I shout, pounding harder on the door as Cori's whimpers get louder and more tears stream down her face. The door jerks open and Cori is yanked from my grip, roughly. Ella' s face is flushed red and is tear stained but I don't get to look much longer before she slams the door shut in my face.

"Is she okay, man?" Zach asks from the end of the hallway. I turn around and nod, even though I know she was crying. Gabriel and Caine stand next to Zach, looking uncertain.

"She's fine." I snap at them. "Where's Claudia?"

"In her room by herself again. We've all tried to coax her out, but she's really upset about Ana still." Gabriel replies. Ana. The name makes my heart ache. My twin who's still in the hospital and has another surgery scheduled for tomorrow morning.

"I'll talk to her. You guys go help finish up dinner." I order. Gabriel and Caine leave without any questions asked, but Zach lingers, looking uncertain still.

"Please get her out of bed." He pleads then runs after Gabriel and Caine. I blink, once, then twice, then three times. Zach and Claudia argue often, but when it comes down to it, they both love each other dearly. I haven't seen the loving side in a while, so it surprises me that he's willing to reveal it now. I slowly make my way into Claudia's room where she sits on the of her bed, hunched over.

Her brown hair is tangled and her face is tear stained as she stares at her phones screen. I sit besides her, looking over her shoulder at the phone. It's a photograph of Ana and her at Ana's 15th birthday. It had been taken right after the party. The both of them looked exhausted and they're makep was smudged, but they look happy in the photo. Very happy.